


Please Don't Leave Me Again

by jaybird1129



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, I cried writing this, I'm Sorry, Major character death - Freeform, Nightmares, OR IS IT, Poor Cody, read the tags, someone give him a hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 07:41:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29364921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaybird1129/pseuds/jaybird1129
Summary: Rex isn't answering his commCody wants to know why
Relationships: CC-2224 | Cody & CT-7567 | Rex
Comments: 16
Kudos: 47





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry?

Cody tried calling Rex again.

Again there was no answer.

He quickly looked at Obi-Wan, who’s eyes were trained on him.

“I think something is wrong,” Cody admitted, “Rex hasn’t been answering his comm.”

Obi-Wan closed his eyes.

He gasped and stumbled.

“General?” Cody asked, voice filled with worry and fear.

“So much pain, Cody, go to the surface at once, take the rest of the 212th with you, hurry,” Obi-Wan forced out, leaning against a wall.

Cody’s eyes widened and he bolted, barking orders into his comm.

Less than five minutes later, gunships were heading to the surface.

Cody tried Rex again and his heart started pounding when there still wasn’t an answer.

Cody was trying not to fidget but leaped up when his comm started ringing.

“Hello?” He asked, trying not to stutter.

“Cody?” A small voice replied.

“Commander Tano?” Cody was surprised.

“Cody,” Ahsoka’s voice was rough, “We can’t find Rex, he’s missing.”

Cody’s heart dropped out of his chest.

“Missing?”

“Nobody has seen him since the battle ended, he’s not in the medbay, and we’ve sent teams out to gather the dead, but nobody’s found him, Master Skywalker is scared, we’re scared. How soon can you get here?”

Cody blinked back tears.

“We’re less than a klick out, we’ll be there soon.” He promised her.

The call closed and Cody took a shaky breath in.

“Listen up!”

Everyone looked at him.

“Battle’s over, teams are gathering the dead and there’s no sign of Captain Rex, your job is to help the 501st teams, I’m looking for Rex,” Cody ordered.

The rest of the 212th snapped a salute.

The gunships landed outside the base and Cody started making his way to the area around the base.

He had walked maybe 2 klicks when he heard the sound of someone breathing weakly.

He turned on his light and found a blood trail.

“Hello?” He called, “Is anyone there?”

A weak moan sounded from up ahead and Cody moved quickly.

He came next to a tree and fell to his knees.

“Rex!” He cried.

Rex was laying on the ground, blood pooling around him from a wound in his abdomen.

“C-cody,” Rex choked out, a small stream of blood trickling out of his mouth.

Cody lunged forward, pulling bandages and bacta patches from the pockets in his armor.

“Hey, hey come on Rex, stay with me,” Cody pleaded.

Rex’s eyes were fluttering, his breath even weaker.

“‘M sorry,” he said, coughing.

Cody felt tears sliding down his cheeks.

He hated this, he couldn’t do anything, and Rex was dying.

“Take care of them for me?” Rex asked weakly.

Cody nodded and pressed a kiss to Rex’s forehead.

“I promise.”

More tears slid down Cody’s face.

Rex smiled and his eyes slipped closed.

His chest fell and it didn’t move again.

Cody began to cry.

He pulled Rex into his arms and stood up.

He turned on his comm.

“This is Cody, I’m coming back.”

Cody held Rex against his chest, both of their helmets clipped to his belt.

He approached the base and was spotted by Ahsoka.

“Anakin, it’s Cody!” She called.

She spotted the figure in his arms and froze.

Ahsoka let out a sob.

Anakin came over quickly and spotted Cody and the figure he was carrying.

His face fell.

“No,” he whispered brokenly.

More of Torrent Company came flooding out and they all let out noises at the sight of the commander approaching them.

Cody stopped a few feet away from Anakin and Ahsoka.

They could see the tears streaming down his cheeks, his lips trembling.

Ahsoka took a careful step forward and looked at the figure in his arms.

It was Rex. And he wasn’t breathing.

Ahsoka let out a wail and placed her hand on Rex’s lifeless body.

Cody knelt to the ground, still holding Rex, as Ahsoka sobbed and screamed.

Anakin staggered forwards, collapsing to his knees next to her.

He looked at the blood covering Rex’s abdomen and a few tears made their way down his face.

Anakin wrapped an arm around Ahsoka and held her as she cried.

Cody shot up with a loud scream.

The blankets fell away as he sat up, wrapping his arms around himself, shaking.

Tears were falling down his face, his chest heaving.

He needed Rex.

Cody looked over at the bunk across the room and froze.

It was empty. Rex’s bed was empty.

Cody started hyperventilating, his body wracked with tremors.

_Rex was gone he’s gone and he couldn’t save his little brother because his little brother was Dead and he has to look after Anakin and Ahsoka and Fives and Echo and all of them because he_ _promised Rex and he can’t break that promise he can’t he Can’t HE CAN’T HE CAN’T HE PROMISED HE CAN'T_

“Cody!” Someone exclaimed, crashing into him, sending them sprawling across his bunk.

A warm body was pressed against him, hands on his face.

“Cody you need to breathe with me brother. It’s ok, you’re safe, can you do that?” They asked gently.

Cody nodded. He took a few deep breaths in and his heart rate began to calm.

The person in front of him whispered reassuring words as Cody started to relax a bit more.

His vision focused on the worried face of a brother in front of him.

Amber eyes, looking at him.

His vision focused more.

No scars.

No tattoos.

Blonde hair.

He froze.

 _Blonde hair_.

Rex.

“Rex?” Cody asked wetly, sniffling.

Rex gave him a smile.

“Hey Codes, you alright?”

Cody blinked a few times.

Rex was alive. He was Alive.

Cody threw his arms around Rex and sobbed into his shoulder.

Rex had never seen Cody this upset.

He ran a hand through Cody’s black curls soothingly.

“Hey, hey, it’s alright, I’m here, I’m here.”

Cody let out a wounded noise and pushed himself closer to Rex.

Rex couldn’t understand him through the tears, but he could tell something had happened to Cody.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He asked his older brother softly.

Cody made another noise and shook his head.

“Ok, we won’t talk about it. Do you want me to stay?”

Cody tightened his arms around Rex.

Rex let out a small chuckle.

“I’ll stay, as long as you want me to,” he told Cody.

“Please don’t leave me again,” Cody whispered.

Rex froze.

“Leave? I’d never leave you Cody,” Rex said.

Cody whimpered slightly and Rex knew what had gotten him so worked up.

He pulled Cody into the tightest hug he could manage. “I’ll never leave you.”

The bandages around Rex’s torso shifted slightly at his movement.


	2. Alternate Ending Number 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An alternate ending to Please Don't Leave Me Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS PURE ANGST
> 
> CW CHARACTER DEATH (offscreen) BUT CHARACTER STAYS DEAD
> 
> all aboard the pain train

Cody walked slowly to the base, not wanting to stop.

He got closer and closer, tears still trickling down his cheeks.

Ahsoka noticed him and let out a wounded noise.

Anakin snapped his head over and his face crumpled.

Echo looked over and he let out a choked sob.

“501st! Atten-hut!” He called, voice cracking.

The 501st snapped to attention.

Cody stopped in front of them, still holding Rex.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered brokenly, “I was too late, I wasn’t fast enough.”

Anakin looked down at Rex.

He looked peaceful, the lines on his face had smoothed out, and his mouth softened.

“He asked me to protect them,” Cody whispered again, looking at Torrent.

Anakin gave a watery smile.

“The council has decided to merge our legions, I won’t let you break your promise Commander.”

Cody nodded.

“Thank you sir.”

He looked over at Ahsoka, who had tears dripping down her face.

“Commander, I’m sorry, I-” he started to apologize.

Ahsoka sniffled.

“I know,” she gave a tiny smile.

“He’s one with the Force, marching ahead to Manda with the rest of your brothers,” she told the 501st, turning to face them.

“We’ve gathered the dead in the hangar sir, we’ll arrange the pyres for tonight,” Kix said softly from near the front.

Cody nodded and started walking into the base.

The 501st snapped a salute as Cody walked through the line of troopers, holding the body of his little brother, their captain.

It was that night that it really hit him. 

Rex was dead and he wasn’t coming back.

Cody was sitting on his bunk, staring at Rex’s across from him.

Cody let out a scream and started sobbing.

He thought of Fox, of Wolffe and the others, and knew they needed to know.

Still crying, he pulled out his comm, and rang the others.

The calls connected and Cody shoved a hand over his mouth to muffle a noise.

“Cody?” Fox’s voice was filled with concern, mixed with fear.

“Cody? What is it?” Bly chimed in.

“Codes?” Wolffe asked.

“Cody, what happened?” Ponds’ voice sent another sob wrenching its way out of Cody’s mouth.

“Cody?” Fox asked again, even more concerned.

“Nu kyr’adyc, shi taab’echaaj’la,” Cody choked out.

Ponds made a noise.

Wolffe took a harsh breath.

Bly inhaled sharply.

“Who?” Fox asked, his voice shaky.

“Rex,” Cody sobbed.

A thud was heard and the sound of someone muffling tears came through.

“No,” someone else whispered, voice cracking.

“No, not Rex, there’s no way,” Wolffe denied, his voice breaking.

Cody let out another cry.

“I was too late, I was there and he was there and I couldn’t save him,” Cody started rambling, his chest heaving.

Obi-Wan burst into the room, eyes shining with tears.

“Oh Cody,” he said softly.

Cody closed the call and let out more half-choked sobs.

Obi-Wan approached Cody quickly, sitting next to his commander,

Cody curled into Obi-Wan’s lap and began to scream his heartbreak and pain.

His little brother was dead.

And he wasn’t coming back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry?
> 
> possible other alternate endings can be written if they're requested too
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!  
> Thank you for any comments or kudos, and thank you for reading!
> 
> -E


	3. Alternate Ending 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> have a happy ending, as a treat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Major Character Injury (offscreen), blood mentions, medical procedures warning!

Cody sprung forward, pulling bandages out of the pack he was carrying.

He pressed some gauze to the wound and lifted his arm.

“Someone get to my location with a medic!” He barked, “Captain Rex is badly wounded!”

“On my way sir!” Kix yelled back, footsteps picking up speed.

Cody nodded.

“Hurry Kix.”

Rex let out a noise of pain as Cody pressed down.

“Rex’ika, you don’t get to do this, who’s gonna look after Commander Tano? And keep Hardcase from causing too much damage? Or keep Fives 

and Jesse from playing too many pranks on Echo and Kix?” Cody asked him, snapping his fingers in front of Rex’s face.

“Echo’s the prankster,” Rex mumbled softly, eyes fluttering a bit.

Cody let out a quiet snort.

“I don’t believe that.”

Rex gave him a weak glare.

Footsteps came from nearby.

“Commander?” Kix yelled.

Cody’s head shot up.

“Kix!”

Kix burst into view and dove down next to them, pulling more things out of his medpack.

He pulled out a hypo and pressed it into Rex’s neck.

Rex’s eyes slipped closed and Kix looked at Cody.

“Commander you’re going to have to help me,” Kix pulled a few more things out of his medpack.

Cody nodded.

“Anything.”

Kix nodded and motioned to the rest of Rex’s armor covering his torso.

“You need to take this off while I clean the wound and stitch it, can you do that?”

Cody nodded and started pulling off Rex’s armor.

More blood covered him than Cody had originally thought.

Kix grabbed some saline and poured it over Rex’s torso.

He wiped some of the leftover blood and pulled out more gauze and bacta patches.

Kix then started carefully stitching the hole in Rex’s stomach closed, muttering under his breath.

“Commander, can you pinch right here?” 

Cody nodded and pinched the area the Kix had motioned to, Kix threading the stitches through.

After a few more minutes, Kix tied off the stitches and snipped away the thread.

He placed a large bacta patch over the area and sat on his heels.

“Ok, he’ll be fine, but I still want to look him over in the medbay. Can you carry him back while I carry his armor?” Kix said, taking a few deep breaths.

Cody nodded again and slipped his hands under Rex’s shoulders and under his knees.

Rex was far too light in his arms, but Cody held him close.

Kix started leading the way back, having picked up Rex’s pauldron and stomach plate.

It took about 35 minutes before they reached the base.

Kix led him straight to the medbay, motioning where to put Rex.

Cody slid him carefully on to the bed, letting Kix get to work.

“Get yourself some food sir, come back afterwards, he’ll still be here,” Kix told him gently.

Cody sighed.

“Alright.”

As soon as Cody entered the mess, he was spotted quickly by some of Torrent.

Fives, Echo, Jesse, Hardcase, Tup, and Dogma froze, eyes widening slightly.

Cody gave them a tiny smile and Echo deflated, dropping his head on Fives’ shoulder.

Grabbing a few ration bars and a drink, Cody came to sit with them.

“How is he?” Tup asked quietly, once Cody had sat down.

Cody exhaled.

“It was pretty bad, but Kix says he’s going to be alright, he mostly needs rest now,” Cody told them.

They sagged in relief.

Fives swallowed nervously.

“Can we see him?”

His voice was quieter than Cody had ever heard.

Cody gestured to their food.

“Once we finish, yes.”

They nodded and started eating again.

Echo finished first. 

He sprung up and strode out of the mess, heading for the medbay.

He reached the doorway and Kix spotted him.

Echo was waved in and shown to Rex’s room.

“You know the drill,” Kix said quietly. Echo nodded and curled up in one of the many chairs Kix had placed around his bed.

He closed his eyes and leaned back.

More footsteps.

He opened one eye and saw Jesse and Tup.

Tup curled up in the chair next to his, while Jesse stood, watching the doorway.

Tup reached over and gently squeezed Rex’s hand.

A few minutes later, Cody, Fives and Hardcase showed up.

Cody picked the chair closest to Rex.

Hardcase went over by Jesse, standing by the door.

Fives picked a chair in between Rex and Echo.

Dogma arrived last.

He had something in his arms and carefully put it over Rex.

A 501st blue blanket.

They waited for a few hours before Rex moved.

Echo and Tup drifted off a few times but their eyes opened when a quiet noise came from the bed.

“Rex?” Cody asked softly.

Rex’s hand twitched and Echo reached for it.

He held on, giving it a light squeeze.

Rex’s eyes blinked open and closed at the bright lights.

Jesse leaned over and dimmed them.

Rex’s eyes opened again and he looked around.

Tup’s eyes were slightly watery.

“Buir?” He asked quietly.

Rex’s eyes widened and snapped over to him.

Rex reached for Tup and tried to pull him closer.

Tup let out a noise but allowed Rex to pull him close, resting his head against Rex’s shoulder, his shoulders beginning to shake slightly.

Rex made comforting noises and ran a hand through Tup’s hair.

Dogma was beginning to fidget slightly and Rex looked at him.

His eyes widened again and the sight of tears on Dogma’s face.

Dogma moved carefully, stopping next to the bed, but not wanting to move any closer.

Rex looked at Dogma, eyes filled with something.

Dogma’s face crumbled and Rex leaned over, dragging him onto the bed to his other side.

Cody softened at the sight.

Jesse gave a small smile and Hardcase gave a lopsided grin.

**Author's Note:**

> This might be the angstiest thing I've ever written  
> I'm sorry for any pain this caused?
> 
> I hope you enjoyed
> 
> Thank you for any comments or kudos, and thank you for reading!
> 
> -E&J


End file.
